Monthly Archives: June 2017

The ecosystem that lives in the clear waters of Spring Lake in San Marcos is magical but can be hard to see if you’re just standing by the shore. At the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment, glass-bottom boats can give you the experience of seeing what happens below the surface of the water. The nonprofit is in the process of restoring five boats in its fleet at a cost of $100,000 for each boat. The oldest boat, which…

Zebra mussels, which have seriously affected the economy, environment and recreation on Texas reservoirs and rivers, have been found in Lake Travis, state wildlife officials said Tuesday. Biologists from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Lower Colorado River Authority confirmed the presence of the zebra mussels in the lake Thursday after a worker at a marina reported seeing a single zebra mussel attached to the outboard motor of a moored boat on the lake, officials said. Biologist then found the…

New Braunfels has been changing for years. Now, that change will be coming in earnest with a massive new proposed development north of Loop 337. On Friday, members of the team of developers of the sprawling Veramendi project detailed many ways the project will alter the city’s landscape. The development on the old Word-Borchers ranch is planned to encompass 2,500 acres, include about 5,000 dwellings, a river resort/hotel, a university, a hospital, public schools, retail locations, more than 400 acres…

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department won’t see $36 million in promised state money over the next two years even as the agency grapples with millions of dollars in backlogged park maintenance. In 2015, state lawmakers passed a law to dedicate 94 percent of sporting goods tax money to the state parks department, but that portion has fallen to 83 percent — or $278 million — as the state has siphoned money for other uses. Another law has given lawmakers…

A new Harvard study found that Americans — especially poorer ones — are having a harder time find a suitable place to call home. Texas lawmakers, experts and development industry leaders say there are plenty of reasons why that’s true here, too. It’s becoming harder for urban-dwelling Texans to find an affordable home to buy or decent place to rent as house prices outpace salaries, the income gap between renters and owners continues to widen and the number of high-poverty…

On Monday, June 12th, volunteers joined staff from the Hill Country Alliance and Native American Seed at the Texas Tech University (TTU) Llano River Field Station in Junction, Texas. There, they set fort an ambitious goal: control the more than 100 Chinaberry trees that are quickly spreading their footprint along the Llano River at the TTU field station. Chinaberry trees were first introduced to Texas from Asia in the mid-1800s and continue to be used as an ornamental yard tree…

U.S. climate officials recently released a series of maps that show just how terrible the Lone Star State’s weather is. The heat maps were created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and used in a study that examines billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in the U.S. The study found that since 1980, the U.S. has experienced 203 weather and climate disasters whose damage each exceeded at least $1 billion. Bearing the brunt of these disasters is Texas, which faced…

Zak Crosby, owner and operator of Tall Drink Rainwater Harvesting, said once the public uses rainwater, it will never want to use well water or city water again. “Rainwater tastes better than any water you can get,” he said. “And once you bathe in it, taste it, wash your clothes in it, you will never want anything beside rainwater for the rest of your life. It’s hands down the very best quality of water. Once the system is in, your…

Dozens of cities and towns in Texas have ordinances aimed at protecting trees. During the special legislative session, Gov. Greg Abbott wants to change that. Last month, when Dallas resident Cindy Beatty drove to a nearby Home Depot to buy some plants for her home, she noticed something that shocked her: Many of the live oak trees on a commercial property along busy Forest Lane had been shorn of their branches and leaves. “The trees were lovely and beautiful. They were oak…

An ordinance and several agreements allowing for a development to begin in the 189-acre Heritage subdivision passed a substantial hurdle. The Dripping Springs Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval of a Planned Development District (PDD) ordinance, as well as an annexation and development agreement for the Heritage subdivision by a 5-0 vote. The items are subject to finalizing and completing a “mutually acceptable” wastewater agreement, as well as an offsite road and trail agreement, and a financing plan… More from…

"All my life I have drawn sustenance from the rivers and from the hills of my native state... I want no less for all the children of America than what I was privileged to have as a boy."-Lyndon B. Johnson